Adjustable level paint sieve

ABSTRACT

A paint sieve having a top opening to receive a brush and adapted for variable height attachment inside a paint bucket so that the sieve can be raised or lowered in the bucket to remain partially immersed in the paint during painting, always providing a sludge-free well of paint in the sieve from which paint can be removed by brush as needed.

United States Patent {72] Inventor Anthony G. Selby 2.625270 1/1953 DeArmas 210/474X 3012 Linwood Ave, Baltimore. Md. 21234 2,844,256 7/1958 Campbell 210/470X [21] Appl No 18,083 3399780 9/1968 Macaluso, Jr. et al. 210/474X [22] Filed Mar. 10, 1970 [45] Patented June 1, 1971 FOREIGN PATENTS 702,547 1/1954 Great Britain 220/90 770,990 3/1957 Great Britain... 210/470 1541 ADJUSTABLE P F PAINT S'EVE 345,996 6/1960 Switzerland 210/474 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figs. P E 'ner Samih N Zaharna nmary xami [52] US. Cl 210/470, Assistant Examiner Frederick R Calvetti 210,474 210,477 220/90 Attorney-John F. McClellan Sr [51] Int. Cl ..B01d 35/28 [50] Field of Search 210/474,

477, 470; 23/2671; 220/90 ABSTRACT: A paint sieve having a top opening to receive a brush and adapted for variable height attachment inside a [56] References cued paint bucket so that the sieve can be raised or lowered in the UNITED STATES PATENTS bucket to remain partially immersed in the paint during paint- 329,SO5 11/1885 Teeter 210/474 ing, always providing a sludge-free well of paint in the sieve 2,055,078 9/1936 Heffernan et al. 210/474X from which paint can be removed by brush as needed.

ADJUSTABLE LEVEL PAlNT SIEVE This invention relates generally to painting accessories, and particularly to screening devices for isolating sludge and similar discontinuities and impurities in paints.

One of the commonest troubles in applying housepaint and the like arises from using paint which has solid matter or semisolidified skim paint mixed with the liquid paint. Such material results from stirring the contents of a bucket which has previously been opened. The semisolidified material results from oxidation of the paint or evaporation of the vehicle, and is practically impossible to reliquefy by stirring. Paint containing such material cannot be applied in a smooth coating. Removing the skim from the top of paint in a bucket does not assure removal of all such matter, since the individual particles are practically the same density as the paint and do not always appear on the surface. The usual way to purify paint of such material has been to pour the entire contents of the bucket through a sieve each time the bucket is reopened for use after storage, even storage of a few hours in the case of quick drying paints. However, such pouring speeds evaporation of the paint vehicle, and wastes paint through adherence to more than one bucket in addition to the adherence to the screen. Also, pouring paint back and forth is time-consuming, untidy, and increases fume hazards.

it is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a means and method of separating paint from sludge and the like in a container as the paint is removed by brush, without prior removal of either paint or sludge from the bucket.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means and method as described in which separation of paint and sludge takes place beneath the level of paint in the container, thereby minimizing evaporation, fume hazard, and time required for subsequent cleaning of the equipment.

I accomplish these objects by providing, in typical embodiment, a screened enclosure open at the top to receive a paint brush, and a hanger to position the screened enclosure adjustably at any desired depth within a paint bucket as determined by the level of paint in thebucket, thereby providing a sludge-free screen-purified pool of paint in which to dip the brush regardless of the level of paint in the bucket.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become better understood from examination of the following description, and the drawings in which:

FIG. l is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the variable level paint sieve of this invention in use in a paint bucket, indicating plural positions of adjustment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration of another embodiment of this invention in use in a paint bucket; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a further embodiment of this invention indicating plural positions of adjustment.

Turning now to the FIGURES in detail; FIG. B shows the adjustable-level sieve of this invention in suspended position within a bucket or other container 12 which is partially filled with paint, varnish, or other liquid 14 in a manner to screenout sludge 26 or the like.

The adjustable-level sieve 10 consists of two parts soldered or otherwise fixed together: a receptacle l6 and a hanger 18 for adjustably suspending the receptacle in a bucket. The receptacle is preferably made of wire mesh or screen, and has enclosing'bottom 20 and sides 22, but is open at the top 24. The receptacle and the top opening are made large enough to receive the bristle end of any brush 26 which is likely to be used for the particular type job.

Hanger 18 consists of a length of soft iron wire or the like, looped over the lip of the bucket. The length of the hanger is, by design, made sufficient to allow successive rebending, adjusting the part 18a inside the bucket to keep most of the depth of the receptacle 16 submerged in the paint as the level of the paint is lowered, as indicated by the phantom lines. For practical purposes, this means that the depth of receptacle 16 added to the combined lengths of hanger outside the bucket as at 18!: and inside the bucket as at 18a equals or exceeds the depth of the bucket within which the receptacle is designed to be used.

Sludge and other particles in the bucket are entirely excluded from the screened pool formed by the receptacle. Where there is so much sludge in the paint that the screening is clogged, brushing the interior of the receptacle around in the paint in the manner of a stirrer will also free the screening of sludge.

After painting operations are over for the day, the adjustable level sieve is easily cleaned by dipping it in paint solvent or pouring paint solvent over it, followed by shaking, blowing, or tapping.

Although the single-wire hanger described is the simplest to keep clean of paint, and is economical to make, another embodiment of the invention offers unique manufacturing advantages which will become apparent.

FIG. 2 shows this embodiment, The entire device including the hanger 218 is made of a single piece of wire or other mesh, stamped out and self-clinched at the sides. Since the hanger is simply a unitary extension of the mesh of the receptacle, this embodiment is very inexpensive to manufacture. Additionally,

since the individual wires of the mesh in the hanger are much smaller in diameter in relation to the radius of bend around the lip of a bucket, the mesh-type hanger shown in FIG. 2 can be rebent more times than the single-wire type hanger, making this type sieve practically indestructible. Also, the breadth of the hanger across the lip of the bucket stabilizes the sieve, making it even more resistant to dislodgement by the brush.

FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of this invention, in which the hanger 318 remains in the shape shown-no rebending is necessary to change the level of the receptacle 316. Hanger 3118, which comprises a single length of wire or strap, threads through a wall 322 of receptacle 316 at one or more places vertically, as at 330 and 332. Resilience of the mesh of the receptacle makes atight friction fit with the hanger, so that the receptacle remains where positioned until it is forcibly raised or lowered on the hanger to another position, as indicated by the phantom lines.

The receptacle can be lowered by downward pressure, using a brush, or raised by lifting the entire assembly by the upper portion of the hanger and pressing the bottom of the receptacle 320 downward against the lip of the bucket.

it will be appreciated that the receptacle of this invention can be of other materials than noted, vinyl plastic screening, for example being satisfactory for the purpose.

in summary, it will be seen that this invention provides the convenience not before known of stirring paint containing sludge or other particles and immediately applying it from the bucket by brush as a smooth unblemished coating without necessity for further handling of the paint to purify it.

The adjustable level sieve of this invention is adapted for use with a wide variety of bucket sizes and brushes without itself becoming large, deep, or expensive to manufacture, and it therefore can be economically used as a novelty or premium, whether supplied in paint buckets, packaged with brushes, or marketed separately.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

lclaim:

1. In a sieve of the type suspendab e within a paint container, the improvement comprising: a paint-sieve and a hanger integral therewith adapted for rebending to adjust the level of suspension of the sieve; all said paint-sieve and hanger formed of a single piece of wire screening; the paint-sieve consisting of wire screening bottom and sides forming a receptacle and the hanger consisting of an elongate, upwardly extended, unitary extension of the wire screening forming a side of the receptacle; thereby forming an economical paint-sieve having a hanger capable of sustaining repeated rebending into hook-shape at any point along the length thereof for adjustment of the level of suspension of the paint-sieve. 

1. In a sieve of the type suspendable within a paint container, the improvement comprising: a paint-sieve and a hanger integral therewith adapted for rebending to adjust the level of suspension of the sieve; all said paint-sieve and hanger formed of a single piece of wire screening; the paint-sieve consisting of wire screening bottom and sides forming a receptacle and the hanger consisting of an elongate, upwardly extended, unitary extension of the wire screening forming a side of the receptacle; thereby forming an economical paint-sieve having a hanger capable of sustaining repeated rebending into hook-shape at any point along the length thereof for adjustment of the level of suspension of the paint-sieve. 